![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.ewens.net.nz\/familyadventure\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/12\/image55.jpg\")
<\/a>The main building.<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/a>The barn. Cows used to live here a long time ago and now we are staying here.<\/p><\/div>\n
We have gone for walks most days, one was for an hour and a half. \u00a0 That day we had really sunny weather, too. \u00a0The valley as well as the surrounding villages are so picturesque…<\/p>\n
<\/a>The road went on and on and on<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/a>The forest around the Ilmesm\u00fchle.<\/p><\/div>\n
<\/a>Local Farm House<\/p><\/div>\n
The children really enjoy playing with Moana, who is a beautiful golden retriever. \u00a0Moana is totally devoted and loyal to Holger and she is enjoying the children’s energy, too. \u00a0Along the courtyard of the mill runs a narrow creek, which has a dam that has been slowly freezing over in the last few days. \u00a0The boys have been particularly taken with the thicker growing ice and are breaking it for Moana, as she likes eating it.<\/p>\n
<\/a>Moana likes jumping after snowballs.<\/p><\/div>\n
I have had discussions with the boys about not walking on the ice and \u00a0hyperthermia in case of falling into the ice, however after two days of playing along the ice, the inevitable did happen and Ben fell into the ice.<\/p>\n
I understand that at least he wasn’t trying to walk on it, but it was a case of lost balance as he and Nick were playing. \u00a0The boys told me that Nick helped him out of the water and then Ben came screaming towards the house, very upset, cold and slightly blue. I went outside and helped him out of the wet clothes, which was a mission and a half, and then we packed him into a blanket and in front of the fire place, where he slowly defrosted.<\/p>\n
His clothes were taken off on the front steps and his shoes were tipped out. \u00a0This formed a little puddle on the steps, which was frozen in less than fifteen minutes!! \u00a0It was -9C this morning. \u00a0The clothes that I had quickly hung over the railing while Ben was undressing were frozen in the shape of the railing \u00a0by the time I took them down half an hour later.<\/p>\n
Ben told me that he won’t be playing by the creek anymore…it’s good when we learn from our mistakes! \u00a0He really liked his hot bath shortly afterwards.<\/p>\n
In fact he was lucky to be able to have a hot bath at that particular time as the heating system broke yesterday (Friday!) afternoon and it wasn’t fixed until just after midday today. \u00a0The heating guy had only just left when Ben took his plunge.<\/p>\n
With the heating system not working the dishwasher didn’t work either, because the cold water pipes of the dishwasher usually are kept at an even temperature by the pipes of the heating system running just below them. \u00a0With the heating system not working and the temperature being -9C the pipes simply froze! \u00a0That too started working once the heater was going!<\/p>\n
So, all is good again, Ben is dry, the heater is hot and we don’t have to do the dishes by hand!<\/p>\n
Unfocused, but fun photo of Tessa..<\/p>\n
<\/a>Hanging of the railing.<\/p><\/div>\n
Good night for now.<\/p>\n
Tanja<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Unbelievably we have been here at Ilmesm\u00fchle for nearly a week now. \u00a0We had one outing to a close by town Bad Heresfeld, and other than that we haven’t really been doing much at all, which has been great and … Continue reading